Something lately has left my mind on Hawaii. Perhaps it's that my friend was just married there (congrats, Kelsi!) or that it was an important place to me a few years ago, serving as a break during my time in Australia. I had been away from my family for six months, the longest I'd been away from … [Read more...] about Photo Friday: Honolulu, Hawaii
history
Turkey’s Biblical History
I grew up going to church every Sunday. I knew the stories and the bible verses by heart. But as I grew older, it became harder to see the difference between facts and stories. This trip to Turkey changed all of that. While I've never visited the traditional Holy Land (until later), Turkey has … [Read more...] about Turkey’s Biblical History
On the Trail of St. Nicholas
Despite some idiotic claims from FOX News that Santa was white, there is a fascinating history behind Saint Nicholas, the real man who is the basis of our Santa Claus. While many of our images of Santa come from advertisements for Coca-Cola, St. Nicholas was born in Greece in the third century. He … [Read more...] about On the Trail of St. Nicholas
Visiting World War II and Holocaust Sites
It's difficult to visit anywhere in the world without encountering some form of World War II history. It's everywhere, from the remnants of bombed churches in Hamburg to the beaches of Normandy and even museums here in the United States. It's hard for many of us to understand that time period … [Read more...] about Visiting World War II and Holocaust Sites